Four photographic archives of previously unseen images of U2, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones will go under the hammer at Bonhams' Entertainment Memorabilia auction on June 23.
Among them, as we previously reported, is a photograph of a band formerly called The Hype when they entered a competition as part of the Limerick Civic Week. But when the night came on March 17, 1978, they changed their name to U2.
Meanwhile, The Beatles collection presents eighteen black and white negatives taken at a reception in 1964.
Completely unseen photos, none of these have ever been published. The informal shots showing the band relaxed and chatting are estimated at £2,500-3,000.
 The Beatles pose circa 1964 - the image will be sold with copyright |
The Rolling Stones collection consists of Polaroids of the band, particularly Mick Jagger and his wife Bianca as well as a portrait shot of Andy Warhol.
Relaxed, informal and fun, they offer a candid insight into the backstage and personal life of the band in the mid-70s.
The photographer is unknown but a number of the shots have various comments written on them and the fifty-one photographs are estimated at £1,000-1,500.
Finally: the rock giants Led Zeppelin. In March 1973, the band arrived in Scandinavia to begin a European tour.
They were presented with a number of gold records during a reception held at Stockholm's leading sex club 'Le Chat Noir', against a backdrop of a live performance.
Bengt H Malmqvist, one of Sweden's leading album cover photographers of the time was the only photographer invited to record the event, and of the resulting fifty-six photographs only a handful have ever been published.
 Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and John Bonham, with friend |
The collection will be sold with copyright - making it a potentially lucrative investment for the lucky buyer - and is expected to fetch £20,000-25,000.
"It is very exciting to be able to offer such a variety of unseen images, particularly those of U2, taken on what proved to be such a pivotal night in their early career," said Stephanie Connell of Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Department.
"The images of Led Zeppelin show the rock and roll side to their life that they were keen to promote."
Meanwhile, Paul Fraser Collectibles currently holds a number of rare, valuable and highly sought-after collectibles of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, including autographs (pictured), which you can see here.
